Articles by Sophia DuRose

The insecurity I feel about my body is mine, meaning learning to be comfortable with my appearance is an internal journey. And yes, it is immensely discouraging to be bombarded with images of models who seem so picture-perfect.

Penn’s competitive culture is a fantastic motivator. It’s also a fantastic reason to feel an awful trepidation when asking for help, whether that help be in reference to a simple homework question or a major search for a post-grad job

If we fall into cycles of pushing yourself too far, burning out, and then treating yourself to copious amounts of whatever it is that makes you feel temporarily better about yourself, the cycle will never end. Temporary relief is all you’ll ever feel.

We’ve all heard the stories — someone gets accepted to the college of their dreams or to the perfect job, and then their position is revoked on the basis of a Facebook photo of them holding a Red Solo cup.

Fumbling through a summer fling, where I am the first to admit that I had no idea what I was doing, proved to me that relying on someone else to explain my actions led me no closer to self-realization than my (unsuccessful) attempts at Penn.